The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has said the United States should not be hailed as Nigeria’s saviour in the war against terrorism, insisting that Nigerian soldiers are capable of defeating terrorists on their own.
In a New Year message issued Thursday, MURIC’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, praised the bravery of Nigerian troops while criticizing both the US and past Nigerian leaders for obstructing the fight against Boko Haram.
Professor Akintola noted that the US had previously denied Nigeria vital weapons, blocked attempts to purchase arms from other countries, and imposed restrictive conditions on weapons supplied to the country, especially in the North East, where Boko Haram was most active.
He also blamed the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration for misappropriating $2.1 billion intended for military equipment, which, he said, weakened Nigeria’s ability to combat terrorism.
“Both the PDP and the US held the hands of our soldiers and allowed terrorists to dig in until it became too late. The US has no moral right to claim glory in recent airstrikes,” MURIC stated.
Professor Akintola emphasized that Nigerian leaders, past and present including Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are strong and capable, but modern warfare requires proper weaponry. He warned Nigerians to be cautious of foreign powers seeking to present themselves as heroes.
